Disability cuts have to be made sensibly, says Southport MP

Monday, 05 July 2010

Local MP John Pugh joined other senior Liberal Democrats calling for cuts  to disability allowances to be made "sensitively" in the wake of the  Chancellor's announcement of a wholesale review of welfare spending.

George Osbourne announced yesterday that there would be an acceleration of assessments for allowances such as incapacity benefits,as a way of cutting public spending to cut the deficit.

On Radio 4, in an interview on World at One, John praised the Chancellor's moves to crackdown on people claiming it who aren't entitled to it. "There are quite genuine concerns  about whether people getting this benefit truly deserve it, but we do want to make sure that those who do get it deserve it."

"While there is an image that Disability allowance is currently given to  all and sundry, there are actually plenty of examples of people who should  be priority to receive the benefit who aren't. One Southport resident, Beryl Prescott, came to me because she was denied the payment despite the  fact she was an amputee and partially sighted. She was told by the  Department of Work and Pensions that she had to wait three months to be confirmed genuinely disabled, for them to refuse her again." explained Mr Pugh.

"At the time the case alarmed me because it indicates that cases are being  rejected without being read. Clearly targets have to be met, and that is  the main worry of a massive clampdown: that more stringent targets could be  set and more genuine cases like Mrs Prescott's will be rejected."

"Reducing the amount of money spent on welfare payments can be achieved but there has to be fair scrutiny of all claims or vulnerable people will be left to struggle."